Bells and sirens sounded at 4:45am this morning to commemorate the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany on this day in 1939. The pre-dawn assault on the Polish military depot on Westerplatte 81 years ago marked the official beginning of WWII, one of the most horrific and deadly chapters in modern European history.

President Andrzej Duda, along with Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak and other officials, took part in ceremonies this morning on the Westerplatte peninsula. In his remarks during the ceremony, Duda highlighted the strength of the Polish resistance fighters and declared the events in Westerplatte to be “a warning for the world … that such events should never happen again.”

Additional commemorative events are being held at various locations around Trójmiasto today, including a Holy Mass at noon in the square for the Defenders of the Polish Post Office and the traditional laying of wreaths accompanied by music from the Cappella Gedanensis choir at 16:00 in the WWII cemetery in Zaspa.

Public transportation to Westerplatte is also free for residents today, and many of the events will be broadcast online on the city’s website at http://www.gdansk.pl. Large screens have also been erected at either end of Długa street so that residents can watch the events being broadcast live.

Source: Radio Gdańsk, gdansk.pl, Radio Poland

Polish PM in Slovenia to discuss coronavirus

The prime ministers of Poland and Slovenia met yesterday in the Slovenian town of Bled to discuss a range of issues affecting Central Europe and its neighbors

During the meeting, Morawiecki received an award from the Slovenian head of government “for his commitment to assist Slovenia during the coronavirus crisis,” according to officials in Warsaw. Polish doctors took part in a training mission in Slovenia last April, sharing valuable experience and insight they had gained during a previous stint in the hard-hit Italian region of Lombardy.

Morawiecki later took part in the annual international Bled Strategic Forum, where efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic dominated the discussion. He was joined by leaders from other countries, including Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Portugal, Poland’s PAP news agency reported.

Source: Radio Poland, PAP

Baltic states collectively impose sanctions on Belarus officials

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania announced yesterday that they would be collectively moving forward with sanctions against Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko and his administration.

According to reports by Reuters, the Baltic states have imposed travel bans on some 30 members of Lukashenko’s administration accused of engaging in vote-rigging during the August 9 elections and participating in the violent crackdown against peaceful demonstrators.

The European Union has reportedly been discussing similar sanctions, but as of yet has not formalized its recommendations, presumably in an effort to avoid antagonizing Russian President Vladimir Putin, a loyal ally of Lukashenko.

In a statement in Vilnius on Monday, Lithuanian President Gitanas Naueseda explained the sanctions as necessary in order “to move forward and to show an example to other countries.”

Source: Reuters, PAP

Polish schools officially reopen for new school year

In welcome move for many parents, schools across Poland are set to reopen today despite the threat of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

In preparation for the return to traditional modes of instruction, the Ministry of Education has rolled out a set of special COVID-19 guidelines for schools to follow, which include items such as for compulsory hand washing on school premises and improved ventilation in classrooms. Additionally, schools and preschools will be expected to minimize physical contact with visitors from the outside.

If a sharp increase in infections occurs in any specific area, sanitary inspectors will be able to instruct schools there to switch to remote or hybrid instruction to limit the spread of the disease.

Source: Radio Poland

Weather

Today will be partly cloudy and mild, with a strong breeze coming in from the northeast and a good chance of rain overnight. Temperatures will be on the cooler side with a high of 18°C, or 65°F, and an overnight low of to 14°C or 57°F. The wind and rain are set to pick up tomorrow, with similar wet weather continuing on into the weekend.

RGEN/pb